Log handling equipment



April 9- H. L. BALDWIN 2,

I LOG HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed July 31, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet l lz'zvenioz" April 12, 1949. H. 1.. BALDWIN LOG HANDLING EQUIPMENT 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 51, 1945 Q Inventor KMZZI-F' April 12, 1949. H. BALDWIN 2,467,354

LOG HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed July 51, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 IIIIHI April 12, 1949. H. L. BALDWIN ,3

LOG HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed July 31, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 fhvenfoz" April 12, 1949. H. BALDWIN 2,467,354

LOG HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed July 31, 1945 e Sheets-Sheet 5 Zwzgw April 12, 1949. H. BALDWIN LOG HANDLING EQUIPMENT 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 31, 1945 E In van for 4 14m 7 Mm? 4 Patented Apr. 12, 1949 \UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,487,354 I LOG HANDLING EQUIPMENT Harold L. Baldwin, St. Johnsbury, Vt.

Application July 31, 1945, Serial No. 608,023 4 Claims. (Cl. 214-38) This invention consists in improved equipment for handling logs which must be conveyed from a location in the woods to the mill. The inven tion is herein illustrated in its application to the transportation of pulp logs from a loading sta tion to the pulp mill, although its application is not limited to that or to any specific type of logs or timber. g

Under the present conditions, pulp logs are cut during the winter in the woods and collected at a loadin station. They are then loaded one by one upon a truck and hauled to the railroad siding. At that point they are unloaded by hand andagain stacked by hand in a freight car. After being transported to the pulp mill in this manner, they must be again unloaded by hand from the freight car. This is the generally followed practice and it involves handling the logs five times at an expense of at least four dollars per cord. Even at that the system is not satisfactory because men having the necessary physical strength are not available in sufficient numbers.

The object of the present invention is to provide equipment whereby the logs may be stacked once for all at the loading station and thereafter handled mechanically by power operated mechanism, thereby not only is a great saving in time achieved but a vast amount of grueling physical labor eliminated.

In broad terms the equipment of my invention comprises a movable conveyor installed at the loading station in the woods upon which the logs may be initially stacked, in combination with a truck equipped with a power take-oil and a conveyor which may be operatively connected with a conveyor at the loading station so that the logs which have been stacked at the loading station may be conveyed en masse or in cord formation by power into the truck. The equipment of my invention includes also as a further cooperating unit a freight car equipped with a receiving conveyor similar to that at the loading station and which may be also operatively connected with the conveyor of the truck so that the staoked content of the latter may be conveyed again en masse and in cord formation from'the truck into the freight car. Finally and to complete the cycle, the receiving platform at the mill may be equipped with a similar conveyor adapted to be operatively connected with that of the freight car and serving to receive and dispose of the logs delivered from the car still in cord formation.

An important feature of the invention consists in a pair of sprocket chains of the roller carrier type arranged to run on supports supplied by the loading station and carrying a pair of log retaining stakes which rest upon the sprocket chains while they are at rest and hold the logs in cord formation as they are stacked at the loadin station, and which will move simultaneously with the stacked logs when the chains are moved.

Another and cooperating feature of my invention consists in a truck equipped with similar conveyor chains that may be located in alignment with the conveyor chains of the loading station so that the stakes may be transferred from one set of conveyor chains to the other; that is to say, from the set of conveyor chains on the loading station to the aligned conveyor chains in the truck. Preferably and as herein shown, the conveyor chains of the truck are arranged to be driven from the truck engine from power take-off mechanism, and both conveyors are provided with sprockets over which a connecting chain may be run, thus driving both sets of chains in unison.

The truck and loading platform may be provided with a single conveyor for handlin one 4 foot stack of logs, or with as many as four parallel conveyors and these may be arranged to operate simultaneously or one at a time.

An important feature of the invention resides in the stakes which are supported upon and travel with the conveyor chains. These comprise an elongated channel-shaped foot and an upright member. The foot is channel-shaped and fits upon a substantial length of conveyor chain. It also underlies a substantial portion of the stacked logs and thus maintains the upright member in position against lateral displacement or tipping. If desired the channel-shaped foot of the stake may have transverse partitions or lugs which are positively engaged by the teeth of the sprocket chain, but in actual practice it has been found that the frictional engagement of the foot weighted by the superposed logs is sufllcient to cause it to travel with the chains. 7

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following descrlption of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a loaded truck having four transversely arranged pairs of conveyors,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the truck in operative relation to the loading station,

Fig. 3 is a view in and elevation, partly in sec tion, showing a loaded truck at the loading station,

Fig. 4 is a view of the truck in cross section 3 showing details of its power take-ofl mechanism,

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a freight car correspondingly equipped with four pair of conveyors,

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation, partly in cross section, of the truck and freight car after the latter has been loaded,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showin the endwise relation of cooperative conveyors on the loading station and in the truck,

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views of the mechanism shown in Fig. '7,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one of the stakes.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the loading station may be built up in the woods from logs I to form a platform of approximately the same height as the floor of the truck body and to support thereon two or more pairs of channel irons having sprocket wheels [2 rotatably mounted at its opposite ends. Around these sprocket wheels is led a sprocket chain of the roller carrier type having links |3 with rollers H which, in the upper or operative pass of the chain, roll upon a supporting angle iron l bolted to the angle iron II and carry the weight of the load as will presently appear. As shown in Fig. '7, the sprocket wheels |2 are carried by shafts l5 and H which extend transversely along the loading station. The forward shaft l6 extends outwardly at one side of the loading station where it is provided with a driving sprocket I8, and over this extends a short endless sprocket chain I 9 adapted to be driven by a sprocket 20 rotatably mounted in the truck. When the truck is properly located, therefore, the shaft It may be driven through the medium of the chain l9.

Each sprocket wheel I 2 is free to turn upon the shaft IE or to be clutched to it. For this urpose a collar 2| is fastened to the shaft adjacent to each sprocket wheel. A sliding key 22, shown in Figs. 7 and 9, is movable in the collar 2| and into or out of a corresponding recess in the hub of the sprocket wheel. A U-shaped groove 23 is provided in each collar 2| and a pin 24 projects outwardly from the key 22 through the slot. By this means it is possible to clutch any or all pairs of sprocket wheels l2 to the shaft l6 and thus to operate a single pair of conveyor chains at a time or to operate two, three or four pair simultaneously.

Supported upon the conveyor chains of the loading station are a pair of stakes 25 with oppositely directed feet 26. The feet are channelshaped and provided with transverse walls 21 at intervals. The channel of the foot 26 is shaped to receive and rest upon lugs 28 which are formed on alternate links of the sprocket chains. Each pair of lugs is turned inwardly at its outer end, as shown in Fig. 9, and the lugs collectively present a supporting surface of substantial area for the stakes. The upright portion 25 of the stakes is preferably tubular and may extend 4 or 8 feet in height. In Fig. 7 one of the stakes is shown in its initial position upon the loading platform. The leading end of the foot 26 is open to facflitate its passage from one sprocket chain to another. The cooperating stake, with its foot extending in the other direction, is initially located at the inner edge of the locating platform, the two stakes being spaced 8 feet apart. As the logs are collected at the loading station they are stacked upon and between the stakes and upon the uncovered portion of the conveyor chains be- 4 tween the stakes. This is the only time that the logs are to be handled until after they have been delivered in cord formation to the mill, as will presently appear.

In Fig. 1 is shown a loaded truck having a body 30 on which is mounted a series of transverse angle irons 3| and in these angle irons are journaled a pair of longitudinal shafts 32 similar to the shafts It on the loading platform and, like them, carrying sprocket wheels 33 over which run sprocket chain conveyors 34. The shafts 32 are extended forwardly beyond the body of the truck where they are provided with sprocket wheels 20 over each of which may run the connecting sprocket chain l9 already mentioned. The conveyors 34 are identical in construction to the conveyors on the loading platform and. like them, are shaped to support the channeled feet 23 of the stakes, upon the same projecting lugs. Accordingly, when the truck has been brought into alignment with the loading platform and the connecting sprocket chain l9 placed upon the sprocket wheels 20 and 6, the power driven shaft 32 is effective to drive the conveyors on the loading platform and to cause the stakes with the logs stacked between them to advance from the platform toward the right, as shown in Fig. 3, transferring the whole stack of logs in cord formation from the loading platform to the truck. This is the condition illustrated in Fig. 3 where the stakes 25 have been advanced to the right with the stacked logs between them, thereby transferring the pile intact from the platform to the truck.

The shafts 32 of the truck are operated from the truck engine through power take-off mechanism suggested conventionally in Fig. 4. The main shaft 35 of the engine is arranged to be connected by a clutch, not shown, to a countershaft 36 through a gear train including the gears 31 and 38. The counter-shaft 36 is provided with a sprocket and chain 39 driving a second countershaft 40 and having in turn sprocket and chain connections 4| and 42 with the two longitudinal shafts 32 already mentioned.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the truck in operative relation to the loading platform, Fig. 2 indicating that 8 cords or 4 piles of pulp logs have been transferred to the truck where they rest upon the conveyor chains and are retained in position by the stakes 25. As already explained, the four piles may be transferred from the loading platform one by one or simultaneously to the truck according to the number of sprocket wheels |2 which are at the time clutched to the drum shaft l6. By either procedure the truck may be fully and completely loaded in' the course of a few minutes and its capacity for a day's work is cor-.

' respondingly increased.

The equipment of my invention also includes a freight car constructed and arranged to receive the load from the truck in cord formation. To this end the body 45 of the car shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is provided with transverse angle -irons 46 in which are journaled a pair of longitudinal shafts 41 carrying sprocket wheels 48 and conveyor chains 49 arranged with a spacing corresponding to the spacing of the conveyors of the truck. Upon leaving the woods the truck may proceed directly to the railroad siding where it is brought into registration with the freight car. The longitudinal shafts 41 of the freight ,car are provided with end sprockets 48 and these are arranged to be connected by an endless sprocket chain 49 with one of the end sprockets 20 of the truck. When this connection has been made and the truck conveyors accurately aligned with the conveyors of the freight car, the power takeoff of the truck may be again operated to drive the shaft 32, setting in motion the conveyors and advancing the stakes with their pile of logs in cord formation from the truck to the body of the freight car. The pile is here supported and kept within bounds by the stakes 25 which are held upright by the pressure of the logs upon the horizontally extending feet 26. Ordinarily there will be sufficient friction between the conveyor chains and the stakes by reason of the weight of the logs upon them, but the transverse walls 21 act to form a positive interlocking connection between .the stakes and the conveyor chain and so ensure movement of the stakes when and to the desired extent.

I contemplate but have not herein illustrated a power operated unloading platform having conveyor chains which may be aligned at the mill with those of the freight car and the entire load thus mechanically discharged.

It will be apparent. that the actual transfer of the logs in cord formation from the loadinK platform to the truck, from the truck to the freight ear, and finally from the freight car to the unloading platform may thus be reduced to a matter of minutes whereas heretofore 70 man hours have been required to handle one freight car load of pulp logs.

In handling soft pulp wood each tier is preferably built approximately 8 feet long and 8 feet high, or two cords per tier. In handling hard wood, which is to heavier, it has been found convenient to load two tiers longitudinally on the truck, one behind the other on the conveyor chains. When'this is done the truck must be shifted in position at the box car after the first tier has been run into the car in order to run in the second tier.

In some cases I have provided a separate source of power at the loading station for use when the truck is not present. This is to facilitate building a tier thereon by running the conveyor chains ahead after reaching full height of tier. This procedure is useful in eliminating considerable walking back and forth, particularly when building a long solid tier, for example, one 18 feet long. These'are but a few of the variations in arrangement that may be made in adapting the equipment of my invention to, actual conditions encountered in the industry.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail a preferred embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Equipment for handling logs including separate elements movable one with respect to the other and each provided with a pair of chain conveyors, the said conveyors being movable in aligned paths when the two elements are vbro htinto registration, means for driving all four 6 chains in synchronization, and an upright stake having a horizontally elongated foot shaped to fit said chains and adapted to pass from one to the other, and means preventing movement of said foot lengthwise with respect to said chains.

2. Equipment for handling logs having, in combination, truck and a freight car both provided v with conveyor chains movable in paths which may be brought into alignment, and log-confining stakes each having a horizontally elongated channel-shaped foot adapted to fit over and rest upon the said chains and adapted to be advanced without interruption from one chain to the other in transferring logs in cord formation from the truck to the freight car.

3. Equipment for handling logs including a loading platform having spaced parallel shafts journalled adjacent its front and rear sides, platform conveyors movable between said shafts, a vehicle having spaced parallel shafts journalled adjacent its front and rear sides, vehicle conveyors driven in synchronization with the platform conveyors between the shafts on said vehicle, and upright stakes mounted on one of said conveyors and having channeled feet shaped to embrace and to releasably engage said conveyor and prevent slippage lengthwise of the conveyor, each channeled foot being transferable bodily in endwise direction with its stake from one of said conveyors to the other when said platform and vehicle are aligned and the conveyors are operated.

4. Equipment for handling logs, comprising a loading platform, a pair of endless conveyor chains mounted in spaced parallel relation on said platform, means for driving said chains in synchronization, a plurality of stakes, a foot secured to each stake and shaped to embrace a portion of one of said chains and having an open end whereby it may engage and disenga e the chain by relative endwise movement, a vehicle, a pair of endless conveyor chains mounted in spaced parallel relation on said vehicle, and means for driving the chains on said vehicle in synchronization with the chains on the platform, whereby said stakes may be bodily transferred from the platform conveyor to the vehicle conveyor.

HAROLD L. BALDWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Boa: Dec. 0, 1988 

